2024 News and Events
Spring 2024
On Tuesday, April 30, UMass Lowell's Center for Women & Work and the History Department are hosting a book launch to celebrate the publication of Prof. Jane Sancinito's recently published monograph, "The Reputation of the Roman Merchant." The event will take place from Noon-1:30 p.m. at 150 Wilder Street. There will be light refreshments. To attend, please email Darcie Boyer at: Darcie_Boyer@uml.edu.
On Tuesday, April 2, from 4-5 p.m. in McGauvran 318, History graduate Kelley Leonhard ('21) returned to UMass Lowell to give a talk: "From UMass Lowell to The Boston History Company: Life after a History Major." ;Kelley worked for Revolutionary Spaces before becoming the COO for the Boston History Company in 2023. Kelley reflected on her life in Boston’s dynamic public history world, and then students were able to ask her questions as they think about their lives and careers after UMass Lowell.
On Monday, April 1, Prof. Christoph Strobel gave a talk on Native American history for the Medieval & Renaissance Studies program: "The Indigenous Old World: An Exploration of Ancient and Medieval North America." The talk explored the worlds of the Indigenous peoples of North America before European colonization. It focused on subjects such as the Indigenous peoples' cities, architectural traditions, methods of agriculture, and how they managed their environment. The lecture was given in Dugan Hall 208 from 4-5 p.m.
On Thursday, March 14, Johanna Hanink (Brown University) gave this year's Zamanakos Lecture: “Athens in America: Ancient Greece and the Making of the New Nation.” It considered early America's fascination with ancient Greek architecture, art, and culture - the "Greek Revival" - and its enduring significance, in the context of both the recent bicentennial (in 2021) of the Greek Revolution and the upcoming commemorations of the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence. The lecture took place in Coburn Hall 255 at 6 p.m.; a reception followed.
In commemoration of Black History Month, the History Department co-sponsored "Black History on Stage: Blending the Past with the Present." This performance on February 29 included a one-woman show presenting a range of historic figures, with a second artist acting as liaison to the audience. These guest speakers were Brandi LaShay and Krasel Morales. Performance times were 12:30-1:30 p.m. and 6-7 p.m. at the Comley-Lane Theatre. Between performances, there was a talk-back with the actors, which took place at the Allen House Gallery from 4-5 p.m.
On Monday, January 29, as part of their "Curious Kids" series, The Conversation published an article that Prof. Jane Sancinito wrote about the long history of the alphabet, and how the ancient Egyptians, Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans all contributed to its evolution. One can read Prof. Sancinito's article on the history of the alphabet online.
On January 4, "The Conversation" published an article written by Prof. Abby Chandler about two Rhode Island colonists, Martin Howard and Stephen Hopkins, contemporaries who lived during the American Revolution. Prof. Chandler considers how both men, despite their similarities, came to very different conclusions about how to align themselves during the conflict. Their individual approaches to the issues of the time shed light on the decisions thousands of British colonists had to make before the American Revolution. One can read Prof. Chandler's article on Martin Howard and Stephen Hopkins online.
In January, Prof. Jane Sancinito published a monograph: "The Reputation of the Roman Merchant". This book examines the strategies Roman retailers, craftsmen, and other workers used to succeed and develop good reputations, despite the stigma associated with their work. It was published by the University of Michigan Press.